The 'lollipop men' in the pit lane. What are the rules?

[Irv the Swerve]

Anyone see Trulli get out from his second stop ahead of Coulthard yesterday? There were only inches in it.

My question is (apologies if it has been covered before), what are the rules of engagement on the lollipop?
Surely it can't just be that the cars don't hit and anything thing else is fine.
Who trains the lollipop guys, if they are trained in this regard. It could have been really nasty if they had collided, particularly at Monaco where the pit lane is narrower than the room I am in right now.

Trulli can thank his stick man for that 6th place yesterday.

[Jensen]

I am not sure but I must say that Mrs Doris who works the lolly stick outside our local infant school always mysteriously dissapears on GP weekends ?????

[Irv the Swerve]

she probably drives a Sauber.

[jetsetter]

Originally posted by Irv the Swerve
she probably drives a Sauber.

Only after she turned down a Toyota drive because the cars were too slow.

[MiniMe]

Originally posted by Irv the Swerve
Who trains the lollipop guys, if they are trained in this regard.

At the Lollipop Academy?

[MrSal]

As far as I'm aware if a car is coming down pit lane past a car that is being refuelled, the lollipop man is supposed to hold the car until the other car has passed to avoid an accident in the pit lane.
I think everyone could see the potential for an accident on Sunday which was luckily avoided. With all the people stood at the side of the pit lane any collision would have resulted in a few broken bones. There is no doubt that there will be a collision in the pit lane at some point and the FIA will alter the rules in some way after that. Stable door and bolted horse comes to mind....

[MiniMe]

I briefly watched the champ cars tonight - man, those pits are W-I-D-E, wider than most F1 tracks!

I know real estate is a premium at Monaco, but can't they reclaim a few palaces and make their pit lane a little wider?

[MrSal]

I've walked round the Monaco track on the Friday evening of last years race and I can confirn that the pits are ridiculously narrow and wouldn't be allowed anywhere else except Monaco.
You cannot widen them because the swimming pool section is right behind them so there is literally no room either forwards or backwards. You have no idea how tight a space the whole track is crammed into.

[DarrellB]

Isn't that the whole point of the track alterations?

[pshoe001]

They represent the lolipop guild, the lolipop guild, the lolipop guild, and they wish to welcome us to munchkin land

[MrSal]

The track alterations have increased some of the run off areas. Unless somebody is willing to move the whole harbour 20 feet back there is no way the pits area can be increased. It is absolutely unbelieveable how little space there is.

[Speed]

Originally posted by Jensen
I am not sure but I must say that Mrs Doris who works the lolly stick outside our local infant school always mysteriously dissapears on GP weekends ?????

ROTFLMAO !!!!!

[rpolinski]

The mods for this year are only stage 1. Apparently all-new pit facilities will be built for next year.

[avsfan733]

i remeber hearing that somewhere.

As far as sunday, I think it was close but not that close, Trulli did get out in front of Coulthard. The other thing I noticed was that they didn't seem to change tires on the stop but I can't imagine that was to save time as the tire guys are always done first

[Dutton]

That is the point of "re-claiming", as it is phrased, the harbour area: the pits et al are going to be plonked there.

The thing is, when their is a punishment meated out for these things - the last time I can remember was Salo in a Toyota, but the race escapes me - it is the driver which is punished. It should be the team, since the driver goes when the lollipop is taken away. That aspect needs looking at.

The situation at Monaco? Yeah, there was a bit of risk involved: in all honesty I doubt a collision at that speed would actually do much harm at all in modern F1, but the point to me is that this small risk (consider how rarely such incidents actually occur) is not worth a swath more sanitisation of the racing.

In the end, are we going to end up with running every lap under the safety car? In the interests of "avoidable accidents" not occuring. Hell, why not leave a computer to generate each race result - that would assure no-one is hurt. It sure would save the teams money too.

Okay, I have just realised I am ranting - quite possibly gone completely off topic.

It is just I am somewhat wound up about F1 at present, about the changes going on and the way things might go.


Hrrmmm........

[Wrex]

Originally posted by avsfan733
The other thing I noticed was that they didn't seem to change tires on the stop but I can't imagine that was to save time as the tire guys are always done first

Thats because 'scrubbed' slicks work better than green grooves.

I think you will find with all the cars on one speed limit, there would be a point on the pitlane marked for the lolipop man that is 'point of no return' or 'can't make it in time.

If the car coming has'nt past it, you can make it, if not hold him.

[TwoSheds]

Originally posted by Dutton
The situation at Monaco? Yeah, there was a bit of risk involved: in all honesty I doubt a collision at that speed would actually do much harm at all in modern F1, but the point to me is that this small risk (consider how rarely such incidents actually occur) is not worth a swath more sanitisation of the racing.

Maybe not to the cars or drivers, but those people by the pit wall would have been in danger of injury.

[903cc]

Just think how ****ed off you would be if you were in 2nd place 1 second behind first, you pit to get an advantage, two back markers collide in pit lane completely blocking it and you cannot get out.

[Smokey 6 litre]

Originally posted by avsfan733
The other thing I noticed was that they didn't seem to change tires on the stop but I can't imagine that was to save time as the tire guys are always done first

i dont think they did only Alonso car either, perhaps the Renault is very kind on its tyres and could strech to another stint, although that could be dangerous, especially around Monaco where even a slight slide or lack of grip could put yopu into a wall.